Chapter 43: Pettigrew’s Power
“I’ve got to go tell Dumbledore,” Harry said, grabbing his Invisibility Cloak. He looked down at his map into Dumbledore’s office “ there were three dots reading “Albus Dumbledore”, “Remus Lupin” and “Minerva McGonagall”.
“I’m coming, too,” said Ron.
“No, it will be faster if I go alone. Don’t worry; I’ll fill you in on everything when I get back.”
“Well, I’ll at least wait down in the common room,” Ron replied, following Harry out the door and down the staircase to the common room, where about a dozen students, including Hermione, were still up. It seemed Hermione had returned to the common room and was now working on her Arithmancy essay. Ron rushed over to her and began talking quickly, most likely telling her what he and Harry had just seen on the map.
“See you later,” Harry said as he went out through the portrait hole. Once outside he threw his cloak over himself and started for the Headmaster’s office. He looked back to his map, watching the room that had showed Snape with Malfoy and Pettigrew. Pettigrew had left, and was now walking down a corridor on the third floor. Harry swallowed hard, but looked up from the map and continued walking as quickly as possible. He looked back down at the map every few minutes, noticing anxiously that Pettigrew was getting closer and closer to him. As he was turning a corridor near Dumbledore’s office he saw that the dot labeled Pettigrew was moving quickly behind him. Harry stopped and quietly pressed himself to the wall. He watched the dot move closer; he looked at the floor, waiting with bated breath for Pettigrew to pass. He would be crossing Harry’s path in a matter of seconds.
But it was not a rat, as Harry had been expecting, who passed “ it was Snape. Harry looked back down onto the map “ the dot moving across Harry’s own path was clearly labeled “Peter Pettigrew”.
What is going on? Harry thought, absolutely bewildered.
Pettigrew-Snape walked up to the statue that guarded Dumbledore’s office and stammered “Chocolate Frog”. Harry followed him inside, up to the door and watched him tensely as he opened the door entered the office. Lupin, McGonagall and Dumbledore were waiting inside. Pettigrew-Snape straightened up and walked inside. Harry could see his hand trembling.
“You called Headmaster,” he said, keeping his distance.
Harry saw Dumbledore’s eyes flicker slightly to wear Harry was standing, quivering in his cloak. He had always had the feeling that that Dumbledore could sense Harry’s presence even when invisible “ Harry tried to send some kind of mental message to him.
Pretend I’m not here, Professor. It’s important. Wait until Snape leaves, please. Pretend I’m not here, he pleaded desperately.
Dumbledore’s eyes flickered once more to Harry, then back to Pettigrew-Snape.
“I just wanted to make sure you’re doing alright, Severus. You’ve been conspicuously absent from out meetings,” he said kindly.
“I’ve been resting, sir,” said Pettigrew-Snape. “I haven’t been feeling myself lately. Didn’t think I was up for Order business.”
He was clearly avoiding Dumbledore’s eyes. McGonagall and Lupin were eyeing him suspiciously. Dumbledore again glanced to the spot where Harry stood, frozen and then looked back to Pettigrew-Snape.
“Very well, Severus “ you may return to what you were doing,” Dumbledore said.
“Thank you, sir,” Pettigrew-Snape said, and he turned swiftly and left. When he had shut the door behind him, Dumbledore waited a few moments and then, looking to Harry again said quietly.
“Now, Harry, why is it that you’re here?”
McGonagall and Lupin looked at Dumbledore confused, then to the spot where he was looking. Harry pulled off his cloak.
“Professor “ Snape. He’s Pettigrew. I was coming to tell you just now “ but then, I ran into him on my way here. I didn’t know he was Snape “ I mean, I saw him on my map. Malfoy, too. But then I saw Pettigrew on my map and it was Snape.”
Harry stopped, unsure if what he’d just said made any sense to anyone other than himself. He strode over to Dumbledore’s desk and handed him the map. Dumbledore looked down at it, Harry could see his eyes following something behind his half-moon glasses on which the map was reflected; his brow was furrowed thoughtfully.
“I was wondering when I’d have the opportunity to see this wondrous map,” Dumbledore said after a moment, his mouth twitching slightly. Then he turned to Lupin. “Is it true this map never lies, Remus?”
Lupin nodded.
“What’s going on Albus, what is Potter talking about?” McGonagall asked anxiously.
“It appears that both Peter Pettigrew and young Mr. Malfoy are in the castle,” Dumbledore replied seriously, yet calmly. “It also appears that the man just in our presence was Pettigrew, not Severus.”
“How is that possible?” asked Lupin. “Surely we would have noticed…”
“It was definitely Severus that arrived at the school in January,” said Dumbledore
“So how long has Pettigrew been masquerading in his place?” Lupin asked.
“Since that night…” Harry said suddenly.
The three teachers turned to look at him.
“The night you met Snape in the Charm’s classroom?” said Dumbledore. Clearly Lupin had related Harry’s story to him already.
“Yes “ there was a note. It said ‘meet me in the old Charm’s classroom at seven’ “ it wasn’t Snape’s handwriting. And then, when I was walking past the room, there was a bang. Pettigrew “ or Malfoy “ or both…they must have attacked him…”
They took a moment to let this information sink in.
“How is he doing it?” asked McGonagall.
“Perhaps Polyjuice Potion…” Lupin suggested.
That doesn’t make sense, Harry thought. There couldn’t have been time…
“No,” Harry said. “No he couldn’t have. I opened the door too soon after I heard the bang… and the other night when I followed the rat in “ it was two seconds later. He’d already turned into Snape…”
“How then…” Lupin said softly, obviously trying to think of how Pettigrew had managed it.
…In the same way, if someone is born a Metamorphamagus, they can more easily learn to become an Animagus…
Suddenly everything clicked for Harry.
“Professor “ have you ever wondered how Pettigrew “ how he managed to become an Animagus, despite the fact he seemed so weak…” he said tentatively, looking at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore looked at Harry thoughtfully.
“I did think it seemed unlikely, why?”
“Well “ we know Voldemort has a Metamorphamagus working for him “because of the Ministry attack; someone was disguised as Kingsley. Well “ people who are born as Metamorphamagi have an easier time learning to be an Animagus… what if Pettigrew…what if he’s a Metamorphamagus?” Harry paused, waiting for all three teachers to exclaim that his theory was ludicrous. But to his surprise, they didn’t do any such thing.
“He’s right,” said Professor McGonagall, clearly impressed that Harry had known this piece of information.
“But surely he would have told us,” said Lupin. “James and Sirius would have thought it was brilliant “ Wormtail would have loved to impress them…”
“Maybe he had an advantage by not telling them “ he could have done anything, pretended to by anyone.” Harry said.
“And why wasn’t Pettigrew registered?” McGonagall said after a moment.
“Well he didn’t get registered as an Animagus either…” said Lupin.
They were all very quiet.
“So it’s possible?” asked Harry, breathlessly. This was usually the kind of thing he relied on Hermione to come up with.
“It’s the only other way Pettigrew can disguise himself as Professor Snape without Snape’s own permission,” Dumbledore said. “So yes, Harry “ it is most likely that you are correct.
He paused for a moment, and then spoke again.
“But for now, I think you should get back to Gryffindor Tower and let us discuss it. I’m sure Mr. and Mrs. Weasley “ excuse me, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger…” he corrected himself, his eyes twinkling, “…are waiting for you to return and fill them in on everything that’s happened.”
Harry tried to suppress his grin at Dumbledore’s oddly timed joke, said good night and threw his cloak back over himself to return to the common room. Ron and Hermione were the only people remaining when he got back.
“What happened?” Hermione asked anxiously.
Harry told them everything that had happened in what felt like a single breath.
“Wormtail “ a Metamorphamagus? You really think that’s possible?” Ron asked.
“Dumbledore, McGonagall and Lupin all seem to think so…”
“Well what’s going on now, where’s your map?”
Harry paused for a moment, trying to remember where he’d put it. Then he remembered “ he had never taken it back from Dumbledore.
“Dumbledore has it…” he said.
“Oh well, I s’pose we don’t need it as much as he does right now,” said Ron, clearly disappointed. “And I’m sure he’ll give it back when he’s finished…”
“I don’t think he should,” said Hermione.
“Why not?” Ron asked incredulously.
“Because it’s a tool used to break school rules…” she said, with a note of superiority
“Last time Harry’s used that to break the rules was to sneak into Hogsmeade third year…”
“And to run around the school at night?”
“Well he’s been doing that since first year anyway…”
“That map is one of the only things I have left of my dad and Sirius,” Harry interjected. “I’m going to ask for it back whether Dumbledore likes it or not. Now you to can stay up and fight some more, but I’m going back to bed…”
Harry walked up the spiral staircase to his room, which was filled with Neville’s snores. Harry took his glasses off and climbed into bed, falling asleep before his head even hit the pillow.
Suddenly, Harry was walking down a dark corridor, slowly. He was angry. He twirled his wand in his hand and stopped in front of a door.
“Is she in there?” he asked in a deadly whisper to the man standing to the side.
“Yes, master,” the man said quietly.
Harry entered the room. Inside there was a woman, lying crumpled on the floor; she was breathing sharply, and whimpering slightly.
“Cunningham “ you can still save yourself…” Harry told her menacingly, trying to hide his impatience. “Just tell me what lies within the Department of Mysteries…”
The woman made an indistinct noise; Harry was quite sure it was a signal of her refusal “ he pointed his wand at her. And spoke, more forcibly this time.
“Brahms is already dead because he refused to speak “ do you really want to meet the same fate, Cunningham?”
The woman repeated the same noise. Harry walked over to her and lifted her face to meet his. She had dark hair, and though her face was aged, Harry could tell she was still quite beautiful. The woman cringed as she looked into his eyes.
“Don’t make me do this Ophelia,” Harry said softly, but the underlying tone in his voice told the woman he was only playing with her mind. She gathered her strength and glared at him defiantly.
“Do what you want, Tom,” she said.
Harry stood up, whispered “Very well then,” and lifted his wand. He was filled with anger at her insolence, but even as he dragged out the woman’s last few seconds, there was an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach, something like sadness.
Impossible, Harry thought furiously, I know no sadness.
A moment later there was a flash of green light, and the woman’s last breath escaped her tortured body. He had killed her.